490 EZRA ABBOT. 



from bias on sectarian grounds, tlie thoroughness of his research and 

 comprehension, and his capacity of assigning their just value to con- 

 flicting and nearly balanced authorities have placed him for many 

 years in the foremost rank as regards the criticism of the New Testa- 

 ment. In 1872, he was chosen Bussey Professor of New Testament 

 Criticism and Interpretation in Harvard University, and immediately 

 commenced in the Divinity School the course of instruction which 

 thence onward was his chief life-work, pursued with unintermitted dili- 

 gence through years of frequent infirmity and illness, and suspended 

 only close under the shadow of death ; though, at the last, he could 

 not go without assistance from his carriage to his lecture-room. It is 

 diffiiult to convey in words the impression which he made upon his 

 pupils. They felt themselves in the presence of one who both had 

 mastered his subject and was mastered by it, — whose faith had clari- 

 fied his vision of Divine truth, while his clear insight had intensified 

 his faith. His expositions were characterized by simplicity, perspi- 

 cuity, positiveness of statement when he felt sure, though others 

 might doubt, and the candid admission of doubt or ambiguity wher- 

 ever he saw reason for it. In fine, his classes had the precise tran- 

 script of what he knew, what he believed, and what he felt. 



It was impossible that he should not have been placed on the 

 American Committee for the Revision of the New Testament, and 

 no member of that board was more constant in attendance than he, 

 or more profoundly interested in the work. How far the " readings 

 and renderings preferred by the American Committee " were of his 

 suggestion, we cannot say or conjecture ; but there can be no doubt 

 that, with reference to the " readings," peculiar deference was paid 

 to his judgment. However that may have been, no one can read the 

 list without deep regret that the American " readings and renderings " 

 had not been adopted. Yv''ith hardly an exception, they are far 

 preferable to those that received the suffrages of the English revisers. 

 Dr. Abbot took part in a series of meetings held by the Committee in 

 several of our large cities, in order to interest cultivated and religious 

 men in their work. A person who was present on one of these oc- 

 casions gave us a description of the meeting. Several of the mem- 

 bers, who were brilliant speakers, had made eloquent addresses, and 

 the evening was far spent. When, at that late hour. Dr. Abbot rose 

 with a paper in his hand and commenced reading with his slender 

 thread of a voice, there was a general rustling of imjiatience and a 

 turning of eyes toward the door of exit But he had hardly read his 

 second sentence, when every eye was fixed upon him, every ear intent. 



